The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin is a beautifully written debut novel that follows a makeshift family through two tragic decades. The story is steeped in the timeless rhythms of agriculture and the American West, with characters that are vivid and true. The novel is praised for its majestic prose, emotional honesty, and the intricate mysteries of human nature.
Amanda Coplin's debut novel, The Orchardist, is a stunning accomplishment that blends past and present, weaving modern concerns into an old-fashioned narrative. The story follows a makeshift family through two tragic decades, set against the backdrop of the late 1800s frontier. The characters are vividly brought to life, and the prose is both lyrical and gritty, filled with marvels. The novel is praised for its emotional honesty and the intricate mysteries of human nature, inspiring awe rather than depression. The characters are one with their surroundings, and the pacing is flawless, making it a world that becomes so real that one only leaves by being forced out by the closing of the covers. The novel concludes on a note of affirmation, demonstrating that courage and compassion can transform unremarkable lives and redeem damaged souls.
Quick quotes
Coplin’s saga of a makeshift family unmoored by loss should be depressing, but, instead, her achingly beautiful prose inspires exhilaration.
Coplin is masterful at tracing the inner life of the troubled Della, and the release she finds in taming wild horses.
Coplin skilfully evokes her characters' oneness with the land as she describes the grafting of new branches on to trees; the precise way apricots should be picked; the changing seasons.